Resource Family/Foster Care Licensing

If you are a current State of Maine employee, please submit your application through the internal application process using the Find Jobs report in PRISM. Seasonal employees who do not have PRISM access should apply through the State’s career page and indicate on the application that they have previously worked for the State.

.

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Community Care Worker

Opening Date: September 8, 2026        

Closing Date: September 21, 2026                

Job Class Code: 5088

Grade: 21 (Pro & Tech. Svcs.)

Salary: $21.54 – $30.14 per hour

Position Number: 02022-7982

Location: We have an anticipated vacancy in our Portland office.

Currently, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or STEM OPT extensions.

 Core Responsibilities:

As a Community Care Worker you will ensure resource family home applicants meet required standards to be approved as a licensed resource family capable of providing foster, adoptive and/or permanency guardianship services to children in care of the Department.  With the Department’s focus on prioritizing placement of children with kinship families, you will be expected to explain the resource approval process to placement families and actively support these families through the steps to become an approved resource. Your duties will include:

1.        Conducting home studies, foster home investigations to determine possible violations, or kinship assessments for relatives and fictive kin placements

2.        Assisting in securing placements for youth entering care through OCFS utilizing available resources and best placement practices.

3.        Playing a key role in providing information to teams about strengths which an approved resource family can contribute toward meeting the needs of a specific child.

4.        Providing ongoing support to resource family applicants and approved resource families

5.        Recruiting and providing training and support to resource families.

This work requires frequent overtime, emergency kinship coverage, and other overtime according to operational need. Additionally, this position regularly travels within the geographic area served by the District Office.

Minimum Qualifications:

A Bachelor's Degree in Social Services or a Behavioral Science area -OR- a four year combination of education, training, and/or professional experience providing services to and working directly with children and/or families. Experience must demonstrate proficiency in public contact work, information gathering, analysis, documentation, and collaboration.

The background of well-qualified candidates will demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Knowledge of motivational interviewing and information gathering methods and techniques.

2. Proven ability to gather and analyze information, reach valid conclusions, and make sound recommendations (please provide specific examples representative of your experience).

3. Ability to develop and conduct recruitment and training workshops and meetings.

4. Experience in professional report writing

Thinking about applying?

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your experience and passion set you apart.

Agency information: 

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.

The Office of Child & Family Services (OCFS), within DHHS is responsible for ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children and families through community networks, local resources, and life-long family connections throughout Maine. 

Application Information:

For additional information about this position please contact Michelle G Freeman, CPS Caseworker Supervisor at 207-822-2178.

To apply, please upload a recent resume (if available) and cover letter addressing each of the preferred skills/experience areas above.

Please submit all documents or files in PDF or Word format.

To request a paper application, please contact Mandy.Hernandez@Maine.gov

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave. When you or immediate members of your family are ill, utilize 12 days of sick leave per year.
• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($12,213.60 - $13,650.48 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit – Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value). 
• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 14.06% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement – Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts – Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness – The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program – Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including non-birthing and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation – Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role. 

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. 

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

.

If you are unable to complete the online application, please contact the Human Resources representative listed on the job opening you are interested in applying for. They will work with you for an alternative method of submitting.